Дні мрій
The Reluctant Dragon
Totherightandleft,thebareandbillowyleaguesofDowns;infront,thevale,withitsclusteredhomesteads,itsthreadsofwhiteroadsrunningthroughorchardsandwell-tilledacreage,and,faraway,ahintofgreyoldcitiesonthehorizon.Acoolbreezeplayedoverthesurfaceofthegrassandthesilvershoulderofalargemoonwasshowingabovedistantjunipers.Nowonderthedragonseemedinapeacefulandcontentedmood;indeed,astheBoyapproachedhecouldhearthebeastpurringwithahappyregularity.“Well,weliveandlearn!”hesaidtohimself.“Noneofmybooksevertoldmethatdragonspurred!”
“Hullo,dragon!”saidtheBoy,quietly,whenhehadgotuptohim.
Thedragon,onhearingtheapproachingfootsteps,madethebeginningofacourteousefforttorise.ButwhenhesawitwasaBoy,hesethiseyebrowsseverely.
“Nowdon’tyouhitme,”hesaid;“orbungstones,orsquirtwater,oranything.Iwon’thaveit,Itellyou!”
“Notgoin’tohityou,”saidtheBoywearily,droppingonthegrassbesidethebeast:“anddon’t,forgoodness’sake,keeponsaying`Don’t;’Ihearsomuchofit,andit’smonotonous,andmakesmetired.I’vesimplylookedintoaskyouhowyouwereandallthatsortofthing;butifI’minthewayIcaneasilyclearout.
